1 Answer
1

I do this by using a url-shortening service like Google's goo.gl and sharing that link. I'm sure other URL shorteners do this, but goo.gl allows you to see the number of clicks in the past two hours / day / week.

I'd like to see the engine's numbers though, as those are what's used for badge calculations.
–
Billy ONealJun 5 '11 at 5:28

Of course this could be circumvented if people check the links (using a link expander) prior to following them. I will ALWAYS check links before I ever consider following such links and use the discovered link. So it won't be very effective for tracking cautious people such as myself.
–
Jeff MercadoJun 5 '11 at 6:39

1

@Brock: Huh? A shortened link just redirects to the real one, which has your User Id in it (which I believe is how StackOverflow knows it's your link). I don't see why it wouldn't count as a visit.
–
ɹǝʞɐʇıɥʍ ʍǝɹpuɐJul 15 '11 at 2:30

It's probably something like: (A) Page requested with a SO referring page = counts. (B) Page requested with goo.gl as referrer = doesn't count. ... Try inserting a goo.gl link and seeing if it shows in the sidebar as a linked post. ... Also, where do referring links have any user ID? See the referring link in the first comment of this question, for example.
–
Awesome PoodlesJul 15 '11 at 2:45

@Brock: A link does not always have a user Id in it. If you closely look at the Url given by the link links on questions and answers you'll see your User Id. Like the one you just linked, for example. I bet your user Id is 148310. I don't think it's any more complicated than that. Why would it be?
–
ɹǝʞɐʇıɥʍ ʍǝɹpuɐJul 15 '11 at 2:49

1

It better not be like that! If it is, a lot of us aren't getting credit for referrals. That link had my user id because I grabbed it from the link tool. I (and I suspect a huge number of others) don't always do that. See, for example, the main link (cited earlier) that referred to this page. And, it was posted by a power user.
–
Awesome PoodlesJul 15 '11 at 2:55

Well it appears you are right and SO did what was easy, not what was right. Now, not only do oodles of us share links that we don't get credit for, but users are not warned that the links share PII when posted on 3rd party websites!!! Not acceptable. But, your answer is plausible, for now.
–
Awesome PoodlesJul 15 '11 at 3:21

@Brock: I agree; You could open another question to get some more information about it.
–
ɹǝʞɐʇıɥʍ ʍǝɹpuɐJul 15 '11 at 3:23

Looks like it's already been discussed and a fix declined. Not much more to do until the class-action. ;)
–
Awesome PoodlesJul 15 '11 at 3:25